It’s “always been a dream” of Jonathan O’Neill’s to take a group of New Zealand students to South Korea, where he was a teacher from 2001 to 2004.
The dream became a reality for the Hauraki Plains College deputy principal over the April school holidays, when 28 students, a group of parents and principal Sharon Moller joined him for the school’s South Korea exchange trip.
The deputy principal and trip leader, who teaches the Korean language and culture learning lab at HPC, said they also added Japan to the trip.
“I thought while we are up in that part of the world we might as well take the opportunity to experience another unique culture.”
The motivation to make it all happen was when his students asked if they could one day go to South Korea to experience the language and culture firsthand, he said.
He travelled to Incheon City, South Korea, in 2024 for a family holiday and met representatives from Incheon schools to start a reciprocal exchange programme.
The programme was kicked off when a group of 28 students from Incheon visited and stayed with HPC families in 2025. “Our intention is to continue with this reciprocal homestay and school experience every two years,” he said.
The same Incheon students hosted HPC during an exchange earlier this month.
The Hauraki group stayed in Incheon, Seoul and Busan, then headed to Japan and stayed in Hiroshima and Tokyo.
The students were willing to “give everything a go” and were openness to new experiences with things, such as learning a K-Pop dance, eating the food or participating in a Kendo martial arts lesson in Japan. “Our students often had to step out of their comfort zones but they were rewarded with some incredible experiences.”
It was true for year 13 student Georgia Green, who told The Profile her confidence grew as she stepped outside her comfort zone by communicating despite the language barriers, giving speeches and meeting new people.
The 17-year-old said the trip was a “life changing experience”, and the most rewarding part was with her homestay buddy from Incheon. It made the experience “more personal and meaningful”, she said, as they could reconnect and experience day to day life from her buddies’ perspective. “Our relationship grew even further and we have now built a genuine connection between not only each other but our families as well.”
She said the group participated in a range of activities which included cultural and school experiences, sightseeing and spending time with host families.
“We visited historical sites, experienced lots of local food, and took part in group activities that helped us learn more about the culture and history of both countries.”
The most memorable part for Georgia was when the group visited Hiroshima.
“We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to listen to an 89-year-old atomic bombing survivor share her story. Hearing her firsthand was incredibly moving and eye opening,” she said.
“The depth and detail she went [in]to in her explanation was beyond what anyone could have imagined.
“It was a powerful reminder of the impact of history, and it left a lasting impression on everyone, with many people becoming emotional during her talk.”
By DAVIDDA HIKATANGATA
